Changes & Improvements in MediaShout 7.7.0
- NEW FEATURE - Added settings to Minimize the Main/Stage with the Control screen
- There are new settings under Settings > Display which allow you to set the Main and Stage display to minimize whenever you do that to the Control screen. This can be very useful if you need to have multiple applications set up to use your display screens and switch between them by minimizing each application as needed. This will only have an effect if you use the minimize button in the top right or select the MediaShout icon in the taskbar.
- There are new settings under Settings > Display which allow you to set the Main and Stage display to minimize whenever you do that to the Control screen. This can be very useful if you need to have multiple applications set up to use your display screens and switch between them by minimizing each application as needed. This will only have an effect if you use the minimize button in the top right or select the MediaShout icon in the taskbar.
- NEW FEATURE - Added settings to keep the Main/Stage on top at all times
- Related to the new settings to Minimize the displays (above), it is often helpful to ensure that MediaShout stays on top of any other application windows that are on your Main or Stage displays. But other times that can be a hindrance, so now you can choose!
- Related to the new settings to Minimize the displays (above), it is often helpful to ensure that MediaShout stays on top of any other application windows that are on your Main or Stage displays. But other times that can be a hindrance, so now you can choose!
- NEW FEATURE - Added shortcut keys for media object scaling options
- When you are changing the scaling of a lot of media objects to be set to Original, Scale to Fit, etc, it can be very tedious to have to right-click, mouse down to Scale, and then mouse over to right to select the option you need. Now, as soon as you have the media object selected, you can use a keyboard shortcut to select your scale option as follows:
- Ctrl+0: Original (keeps the same resolution as the original media file)
- Ctrl+1: Scale to Fit (adjusts to fit the entire object on the screen as large as possible without going over the edge or cutting any content off; May letterbox, but will not distort.)
- Ctrl+2: Scale to Fill (adjusts to fill the screen completely, and will crop as needed; No letterboxing, and it will not distort, but you may lose some content on a pair of edges.)
- Ctrl+3: Stretch to Fill (stretches the object to fill the screen completely, but that may result in the aspect ratio being distorted and image visibly warped.)
- When you are changing the scaling of a lot of media objects to be set to Original, Scale to Fit, etc, it can be very tedious to have to right-click, mouse down to Scale, and then mouse over to right to select the option you need. Now, as soon as you have the media object selected, you can use a keyboard shortcut to select your scale option as follows:
- NEW FEATURE - Added tool to show hidden formatting marks in text
- There can be times when it's difficult to tell why text is aligning the way it is, and in those cases it is often useful to be able to see where all of the non-visible characters are. This new tool is in the middle of the text settings toolbar, and when activated it will display special marks to show where all of the spaces and carriage returns are. You can also activate this using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+8 (using the top row number keys, not the numpad).
- There can be times when it's difficult to tell why text is aligning the way it is, and in those cases it is often useful to be able to see where all of the non-visible characters are. This new tool is in the middle of the text settings toolbar, and when activated it will display special marks to show where all of the spaces and carriage returns are. You can also activate this using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+8 (using the top row number keys, not the numpad).
- NEW FEATURE - Added setting to run the Lyrics library database at all times
- In normal usage, the database which supplies the Lyrics library starts up with MediaShout, runs in the background, and then it closes with the program. There can be advanced use cases where you might want that database to run all the time in the background, and if you are one of those users you can now set that option under the Advanced Library Settings.
- In normal usage, the database which supplies the Lyrics library starts up with MediaShout, runs in the background, and then it closes with the program. There can be advanced use cases where you might want that database to run all the time in the background, and if you are one of those users you can now set that option under the Advanced Library Settings.
- NEW FEATURE - Added settings for advanced Lyrics library configurations
- Related to the item above about running the Lyrics database all the time, one advanced use case where that can be helpful is if you are sharing that on a network among multiple machines. This is a very advanced use case, however, and we'll create a separate article explaining how to configure this as there are multiple ways to configure this, and it can be complex to set it up. [Note that this only applies to the actual Lyrics Library database.]
- Related to the item above about running the Lyrics database all the time, one advanced use case where that can be helpful is if you are sharing that on a network among multiple machines. This is a very advanced use case, however, and we'll create a separate article explaining how to configure this as there are multiple ways to configure this, and it can be complex to set it up. [Note that this only applies to the actual Lyrics Library database.]
- NEW FEATURE - Added a localization for the Swedish language
- Swedes everywhere can now use MediaShout with the UI in their native language!
- Swedes everywhere can now use MediaShout with the UI in their native language!
- NEW FEATURE - Added a localization for the Ukrainian language
- There are a number of Ukrainian congregations who use MediaShout, and we have now created a localization in Ukrainian to better serve them!
- There are a number of Ukrainian congregations who use MediaShout, and we have now created a localization in Ukrainian to better serve them!
- NEW FEATURE - Added 'Refresh' functions for Presenter View thumbnails
- With the overhaul of our Presenter View (below), there can occasionally be cases where a thumbnail image fails to generate or could maybe get out of sync with it's cue. We don't think that will happen often, but if it does happen, there's a 'Refresh' button at the top of the screen which will refresh all of the thumbnails, or you can right-click to refresh just a single item.
- With the overhaul of our Presenter View (below), there can occasionally be cases where a thumbnail image fails to generate or could maybe get out of sync with it's cue. We don't think that will happen often, but if it does happen, there's a 'Refresh' button at the top of the screen which will refresh all of the thumbnails, or you can right-click to refresh just a single item.
- IMPROVEMENT - Overhaul Presenter View to switch views much faster
- We have been trying to find ways to speed up the transition between Edit and Presenter Views for a long time, but the only way to do it was to completely change the way that Presenter View worked 'under the hood'. Now that we've done that, the switch is MUCH FASTER, and this really makes it much easier to go back and forth between the views as you need to while presenting!
- We have been trying to find ways to speed up the transition between Edit and Presenter Views for a long time, but the only way to do it was to completely change the way that Presenter View worked 'under the hood'. Now that we've done that, the switch is MUCH FASTER, and this really makes it much easier to go back and forth between the views as you need to while presenting!
- IMPROVEMENT - Modify Search boxes to behave in more similar ways
- Several of the places that you could search content within MediaShout used to behave differently depending on which one you were using. We've tried to make them all behave as similarly as possible now so that it's faster and easier to learn and use the software.
- Several of the places that you could search content within MediaShout used to behave differently depending on which one you were using. We've tried to make them all behave as similarly as possible now so that it's faster and easier to learn and use the software.
- IMPROVEMENT - Simplify the Bible reference search process
- The box where you search for a bible reference was really picky about the format which you used to enter the reference being exactly correct, and that became tedious when you were creating a lot of bible cues. These changes help by putting in a space where you need it automatically, and by ignoring things like the '.' on abbreviated references. We've tried to make the experience of locating and using bible passages more user friendly!
- The box where you search for a bible reference was really picky about the format which you used to enter the reference being exactly correct, and that became tedious when you were creating a lot of bible cues. These changes help by putting in a space where you need it automatically, and by ignoring things like the '.' on abbreviated references. We've tried to make the experience of locating and using bible passages more user friendly!
- IMPROVEMENT - Improved ease of selecting options in the FX window
- The individual items in the FX window could not previously be selected by clicking on the checkbox unless you had already enabled it previously. But the most intuitive place to click to select one of those options is on the checkbox, so we changed it. Now it's easier!
- The individual items in the FX window could not previously be selected by clicking on the checkbox unless you had already enabled it previously. But the most intuitive place to click to select one of those options is on the checkbox, so we changed it. Now it's easier!
- IMPROVEMENT - Enhanced the Search function in a few places
- There's not a lot to explain here. We made a few small changes in some of the search boxes which should make them easier and more logical to use. That is all.
- There's not a lot to explain here. We made a few small changes in some of the search boxes which should make them easier and more logical to use. That is all.
- IMPROVEMENT - Improved ease of selecting Key options
- As with the changes to the FX window (listed above), the Key settings were not as easy to select and use because you couldn't select them by clicking on the checkbox. So now you can.
- As with the changes to the FX window (listed above), the Key settings were not as easy to select and use because you couldn't select them by clicking on the checkbox. So now you can.
- IMPROVEMENT - Updated the information in the 'About' window
- We need to stay legal, so we updated some of the information in the 'About' window so we are properly attributing the other resources we are using and partnering with.
- We need to stay legal, so we updated some of the information in the 'About' window so we are properly attributing the other resources we are using and partnering with.
- IMPROVEMENT - Improved the logging functionality to ease troubleshooting
- One of the least visible features of MediaShout 7 is the log we keep in the background to help troubleshoot when the occasional issue does occur. But there were some changes that we made to those logs to hopefully help us better understand the what and why when problems do occur. We're always looking for ways that we can better and more quickly serve our customers, so this is a step in that direction.
- One of the least visible features of MediaShout 7 is the log we keep in the background to help troubleshoot when the occasional issue does occur. But there were some changes that we made to those logs to hopefully help us better understand the what and why when problems do occur. We're always looking for ways that we can better and more quickly serve our customers, so this is a step in that direction.
- FIXED - AutoScroll occasionally caused the wrong cue/page to fire
- The AutoScroll feature can be really helpful to keep the active cue visible as you move through your script. But unfortunately, there were some instances where the scroll would happen while a user was double-clicking to fire a cue, and that would lead to the wrong page or cue being fired inadvertently. We've made some changes to that system to delay the scrolling so that it won't happen while double-clicking to fire pages or cues.
- The AutoScroll feature can be really helpful to keep the active cue visible as you move through your script. But unfortunately, there were some instances where the scroll would happen while a user was double-clicking to fire a cue, and that would lead to the wrong page or cue being fired inadvertently. We've made some changes to that system to delay the scrolling so that it won't happen while double-clicking to fire pages or cues.
- FIXED - Changing the default template didn't apply until after relaunch
- Templates can be a really powerful way to speed up cue creation, but sometimes you want to change the default template so you can create a series of matching cues. Previously, that change often required you to close and reopen MediaShout before taking effect, and that was annoying. Now that change should take effect immediately!
- Templates can be a really powerful way to speed up cue creation, but sometimes you want to change the default template so you can create a series of matching cues. Previously, that change often required you to close and reopen MediaShout before taking effect, and that was annoying. Now that change should take effect immediately!
- FIXED - Selecting multiple cues didn't always work correctly
- When you need to delete a long series of cues or select a big group to be copies and pasted somewhere, that selection should now retain the cues you selected. (It wasn't doing a very good job of selecting a lot of cues at once previously--at least not in certain circumstances.)
- When you need to delete a long series of cues or select a big group to be copies and pasted somewhere, that selection should now retain the cues you selected. (It wasn't doing a very good job of selecting a lot of cues at once previously--at least not in certain circumstances.)
- FIXED - Images set to 'Original' size varied depending on image DPI setting
- Images usually have a property called DPI, which is used when printing to determine how big it should be according to it's Dots Per Inch setting. That value really should have no effect when used within MediaShout, however, because a 1280x720 image should always be that size on the screen regardless of whether it's set to 300 DPI or 96 DPI. But previously, the size an image would be set to when you scaled it to the 'Original' resolution would change based on the DPI, and that could be quite frustrating when dealing with images from different sources and DPI settings. Now it's fixed, and the irrelevant DPI value be ignored!
- Images usually have a property called DPI, which is used when printing to determine how big it should be according to it's Dots Per Inch setting. That value really should have no effect when used within MediaShout, however, because a 1280x720 image should always be that size on the screen regardless of whether it's set to 300 DPI or 96 DPI. But previously, the size an image would be set to when you scaled it to the 'Original' resolution would change based on the DPI, and that could be quite frustrating when dealing with images from different sources and DPI settings. Now it's fixed, and the irrelevant DPI value be ignored!
- FIXED - Certain actions could cause Lyrics to not be selectable
- We found one specific sequence of steps which would cause the Lyrics library to be unable to select any song, and that was no good. So while it was a pretty unlikely scenario, we prevented that from ever happening.
- We found one specific sequence of steps which would cause the Lyrics library to be unable to select any song, and that was no good. So while it was a pretty unlikely scenario, we prevented that from ever happening.
- FIXED - Selecting from Search results by using arrow keys didn't work
- It can be really useful to just use the arrow keys to select the search result you want very quickly, so now there are more options for that.
- It can be really useful to just use the arrow keys to select the search result you want very quickly, so now there are more options for that.
- FIXED - Certain conditions caused text boxes to lose the editing toolbar
- We discovered that if the very first few characters in a text box were spaces, it seemed to 'forget' that it was a text box and the text toolbar would go away and you couldn't edit the text formatting. So we fixed it!
- We discovered that if the very first few characters in a text box were spaces, it seemed to 'forget' that it was a text box and the text toolbar would go away and you couldn't edit the text formatting. So we fixed it!
- FIXED - Couldn't fire a page by double-clicking in blank area
- There used to be a little bit of open space to the right of the label on pages, and if you double-clicked there to fire the page, nothing would happen! It was a sort of 'no-man's-land'. That could result in it being too difficult to fire pages that way, so we expanded the 'double-clickable' area to be essentially the entire width of the page list in the cue.
- There used to be a little bit of open space to the right of the label on pages, and if you double-clicked there to fire the page, nothing would happen! It was a sort of 'no-man's-land'. That could result in it being too difficult to fire pages that way, so we expanded the 'double-clickable' area to be essentially the entire width of the page list in the cue.
- FIXED - Custom tags on Stage became unreadable after UI language change
- This is a rare one, but in some cases where a user was using custom tags on the Stage display and then changed the UI language, it really scrambled things up. That should be fixed now.
- This is a rare one, but in some cases where a user was using custom tags on the Stage display and then changed the UI language, it really scrambled things up. That should be fixed now.
- FIXED - Main display BG flashed briefly on Stage in certain cases
- At the very beginning of a script, or cases where you were firing a cue after having nothing active (All Stop), a very brief 'flash' of the background from the Main display would flicker on the Stage. That wasn't supposed to be the case, and now it isn't!
- At the very beginning of a script, or cases where you were firing a cue after having nothing active (All Stop), a very brief 'flash' of the background from the Main display would flicker on the Stage. That wasn't supposed to be the case, and now it isn't!
- FIXED - Problem navigating with mouse through multi-page Blank cues
- If you created a Blank cue that contained several pages in it, and you tried to move through it using the arrow keys to move up and down to preview the pages, you couldn't go more than a page or two. After that you just had to click with the mouse to select them. We squashed that bug, so now you can arrow key away!
- If you created a Blank cue that contained several pages in it, and you tried to move through it using the arrow keys to move up and down to preview the pages, you couldn't go more than a page or two. After that you just had to click with the mouse to select them. We squashed that bug, so now you can arrow key away!
- FIXED - ESC key does not exit Overlay mode in some cases
- When you enter the Overlay mode, there is a friendly dialog to explain how to exit from that mode. Unfortunately, when it said that you could hit the ESC key to exit, it was only partially correct! There were some cases where that wasn't working, so that has been corrected and you should always be able to exit Overlay with the ESC key now.
- When you enter the Overlay mode, there is a friendly dialog to explain how to exit from that mode. Unfortunately, when it said that you could hit the ESC key to exit, it was only partially correct! There were some cases where that wasn't working, so that has been corrected and you should always be able to exit Overlay with the ESC key now.
- FIXED - When leaving a fired Quick Cue, the wrong cue was fired at times
- This can be a bit hard to follow, but if you used a Quick Cue to interrupt a script, and then tried to fire a cue which wasn't the next one after where you stopped, it wouldn't do that and instead would fire the next sequential cue after where you stopped. Or something like that. Regardless, now it should always fire the cue you are trying to fire, not the one it thought you would go to next. ;)
- This can be a bit hard to follow, but if you used a Quick Cue to interrupt a script, and then tried to fire a cue which wasn't the next one after where you stopped, it wouldn't do that and instead would fire the next sequential cue after where you stopped. Or something like that. Regardless, now it should always fire the cue you are trying to fire, not the one it thought you would go to next. ;)
- FIXED - Some Presenter View thumbnails had inconsistent widths
- Some of the thumbnail images in Presenter view were very slightly different widths at times, and that led to erratic wrapping of pages in some contexts. It wasn't a huge problem, but we fixed it anyways.
- Some of the thumbnail images in Presenter view were very slightly different widths at times, and that led to erratic wrapping of pages in some contexts. It wasn't a huge problem, but we fixed it anyways.
- FIXED - Some instances of the Color Picker Tool didn't work correctly
- The Color Picker is probably not used too often, but it sure can be helpful when you need to match another color somewhere else. Except when it doesn't work! Or when it hangs around on the screen and makes you go up and click off of it to get it to go away. Now you should be able to hit ESC to exit from it, and it should work in more contexts!
- The Color Picker is probably not used too often, but it sure can be helpful when you need to match another color somewhere else. Except when it doesn't work! Or when it hangs around on the screen and makes you go up and click off of it to get it to go away. Now you should be able to hit ESC to exit from it, and it should work in more contexts!
Hopefully this has helped you get started with the new fixes and improvements in MediaShout 7. If you have any questions about these, or anything else with the software, please reach out to our support team and they would be glad to assist!
(2025-08-20, DF)